Irish Pastoral Centre Senior Notes

The Cara Club was abuzz with folks this week. We were joined by Marianne from Senior Whole Health who shared some tips, advice and goodies. Many thanks again to Marianne for her time. Due to the weather (snow, snow and more snow) we had a small turn out this week at Café Eireann. Just a reminder to call ahead to the reservation line at the IPC on 855-479-2472 to check on weather cancellations. We look forward to seeing you all again next week!

New Year’s resolutions

It’s that time of year again, we promise to change our wicked ways, kick the chocolate and bounce into action! However by March our wicked ways seem to creep back up on us. Here are some easy pointers to staying on the right path, be it eating better, giving something up or pounding the sidewalk!

Be prepared to stumble – see challenges and bad days as diversions, things will get easier!

Allow yourself time to form a habit – one study found that it takes 21 days to form a habit, while another cited 66 days. Either way it takes TIME to change our ways. Nothing happens overnight; otherwise everyone would be doing it!

Set a long term goal and work towards it. Whether you’re just beginning to exercise, eat better or stop smoking, having a specific and achievable goal can make you feel like you’re getting somewhere! Just don’t make the goal weight loss - to avoid setting yourself up for failure. The latest research suggests it’s very tough to lose weight via exercise alone.

And remember “A year from now you will wish you had started today.” -Karen Lamb

Everyone I have met in the last few weeks seems to have it or had it… the dreaded cold. Here are some tips to beat the common cold.

FACT: Vitamin C May Help Reduce the Duration and Severity of a Cold

Research does suggest that regularly consuming vitamin C may reduce the severity of symptoms and decrease the duration of a cold should you catch it. The good news is that Americans, on average, are not only meeting their daily need of 75 to 90 milligrams but you can easily rack up more than this amount through your diet. A cup of OJ contains 124 milligrams, a red pepper sliced up 226 milligrams, and a cup of broccoli provides 100 milligrams of vitamin C.

FACT: Zinc Can Be Helpful

Several studies have found that zinc lozenges or syrup were shown to help reduce the duration and severity of colds in healthy people, when consumed within the first 24 hours of the first sniffle. But there is a catch. Those taking zinc lozenges may experience nausea and a bad aftertaste in their mouth.

FACT: Chicken Soup Can Help

Someone called this the Germans penicillin this week, that is, chicken soup. The heat, salt, and fluid in the soup can help you feel better and fight infection. Also, research suggests that chicken soup may have an anti-inflammatory effect on the upper respiratory tract, which can reduce the duration of the cold. Here's to a cold free January!!

Please feel free to call Eileen at 617 265 5300 x13 for more information on IPC Senior Citizen Outreach Program activities and services.